University of St. Thomas Athletics
St. Olaf
Baseball caps 3-0 weekend, wins MIAC playoff title
5/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Junior Brian Schmitz homered twice and drove in five runs to lead a 22-hit attack and lift No. 13-ranked St. Thomas to a 17-4 win over St. Olaf in Sunday's MIAC baseball playoff finals in Dundas.
The Tommies (32-7) ran their winning streak to 11 and won the MIAC playoffs for the seventh time in the nine-year history of the event. UST's all-time record in the playoffs is 23-6.
St. Thomas broke to an 11-1 lead in the first three innings and went on to beat St. Olaf for the eighth time in the last nine meetings, all in the last 14 months. UST is 32-3 against all conference foes in that span and has swept the MIAC regular-season and postseason titles two years in a row.
Matt Pexa and Dan Leslie each went 4-for-6 and Schmitz and Chris Bullis each had three hits. Eleven different Toms had at least one hit. In the 3-0 weekend, Bullis went 7-for-12 (.583) and Schmitz went 6-for-10 (.600) as the Tommies pounded 44 hits and batted .405. UST raised its season batting average to .369, which ranks in the top 10 in Division III.
Freshman Ryan Fahey worked four innings and allowed five hits, one run and one walk. In the 3-0 weekend, UST starters Matt Schuld, Lonnie Robinson and Fahey allowed just five earned runs in 22 innings (2.05 ERA).
UST will learn its NCAA playoff assignment on Monday morning.
Click here for Sunday's box score:
http://www.stolaf.edu/athletics/baseball/media/0708/box/sto-ust4.htm
Click here to view or purchase Greg Smith action photos:
Freshman Ryan Fahey worked four solid innings. (Greg Smith photo)
Dan Leslie continued his strong defense at third base. (Greg Smith photo)
Matt Pexa is 20-of-41 in nine career MIAC playoff games. (Greg Smith photo)
Roy Larson looks to reach base. (Greg Smith photo)
Zach Neubauer worked one inning in Sunday's victory. (Greg Smith photo)
Teammates congratulate Brian Schmitz after the first of two homers. (Greg Smith photo)
Dan Leslie (20) went 4-for-6 in Sunday's win. (Greg Smith photo)
Louie Salmen has made 74 consecutive putouts at second base without an error. (Greg Smith photo)
The Tommies are 32-3 vs. MIAC foes since mid-April 2007. (Greg Smith photo)
